Principal Catering Operations

Alaska Airlines

SeaTac, WA

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JOB DETAILS

SALARY

$122,800–$184,200 Per Year

SKILLS

Accounting, Auditing, Best Practices, Business Processes, Business Transformation, Catering Services, Change Management, Compensation and Benefits, Contract Requirements, Corrective Action, EEO Regulations, Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO), Financial Planning, Food Safety, Food and Beverage Industry, Genetics, High School Diploma, Hubs, Human Resources, Leadership, Legal, Marketing, Operational Strategy, Operational Support, Operations Management, Operations Planning, Operations Processes, Performance Analysis, Performance Metrics, Presentation/Verbal Skills, Process Improvement, Real Estate, Requirements Validation/Verification, Risk, Service Level Agreement (SLA), Short Messaging Service (SMS), Startup, State Laws and Regulations, Strategic Planning, Supply Chain Management, Time Management, Tuition Fees, Vendor/Supplier Management, Vendor/Supplier Quality Management, Writing Skills

LOCATION

SeaTac, WA

POSTED

9 days ago

**Company** Alaska Airlines **The Team** Guided by our purpose, core values, and leadership principles, we are creating an airline people love. Our corporate teams set the strategies and operational plans to ensure the success of our company. Whether we use our expertise in accounting, human resources, finance, planning, legal, marketing, or any of our operational divisions, our shared passion for travel and our guests is what motivates us to achieve excellence each day. If you share our passion for creating an airline people love, we want to hear from you. **Role Summary** The Principal for Catering Operations is the sole subject matter expert in and held accountable to ensuring Alaska and Hawaiian's catering partners deliver catering requirements safely, on-time and accurately. As an individual contributor, this role defines the long-term strategy for catering at our hubs and outstations and ensures the strategy and operational monitoring aligns with Alaska Air Group performance metrics and requirements for the network. **Key Duties** + Acts as the lead subject matter expert in internal catering operations polices, procedures and systems and hold catering partners accountable to Alaska Air Group's requirement and contracted SLAs/KPIs. + Define long-term strategy for new steady state performance monitoring of catering partners while considering needs of Alaska Air Group's performance metrics and requirements. + Independently oversees the catering operations cycle in its entirety for the scope of their portfolio - including KPI tracking and management, kitchen audits, reviews, investigations and risk-based process audits and reports. Responsible for administering follow-up audits and developing recovery plans for failing kitchens. + Proactively identifies areas of corrective action based on data and collaborates with catering partners on plans to address. + Influence across company and several levels up on operational changes to support and enhance reliability of catering operation. + Maintain influential and productive relationships with airline and inflight leaders as well as operational leaders and General Managers at catering partners. + Responsible for overseeing strategies requiring change management (e.g. menu refreshes, new station startups). + Leads cross-divisional projects driven by catering changes, including executing effective use of SMS, communications to stakeholders, and effective change management through completion. + Represents food and beverage team and serves as key point-of-contact to assigned station leaders including AOCS, inflight, maintenance and flight operations. + Collaborates with?airport operations and inflight departments to identify areas requiring corrective action or other opportunities while providing timely follow up. + Holds caterers accountable to be self-sufficient in managing nuances in the Alaska Air Group operation by setting up processes to do so (e.g. for IRROPS, aircraft swaps, etc. + Identifies?and executes strategies that both enhance operational performance but also produce cost synergies.?? + Leads large-scale business transformation processes that include vendor and real estate changes.?? **Additional Details** This role will own the long-term strategy of Alaska Air group Inc's largest in hub in Seattle. **Job-Specific Experience, Education & Skills** **Required** + 7 years of experience in operations management, performance management, supply chain management, supplier performance, safety management or related field. + Bachelor's degree or an additional two years of relevant training/experience in lieu of this degree. + Demonstrated ability to drive results when corrective action is needed. + Demonstrated ability to effectively manage a large-scale change by utilizing change management best practices. + Proven supplier management track record. + Excellent written and verbal skills. + Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and Smartsheet. + Ability and willingness to work a flexible schedule based on business need. + High school diploma or equivalent. + Minimum age of 18. + Must be authorized to work in the U.S. **Preferred** + Airline catering, food and beverage or hospitality experience. + Six Sigma or equivalent certifications. + Strong working knowledge of World Food Safety Guidelines and HAACP compliance. **Job-Specific Leadership Expectations** Embody our values to own safety, do the right thing, be caring and kind, and deliver performance. **Salary Range** $122,800 - $184,200 / year **Salary Details** Pay will be based on multiple factors, including and not limited to location, relevant experience/level and skillset while balancing internal equity relative to other Alaska/Hawaiian/Horizon employees. Alaska/Hawaiian/Horizon is committed to fair, unbiased compensation along with competitive benefits in all locations in which we operate. **Note:** We don't typically hire at the top of the range. **Total Rewards** _Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air pay and benefits can vary by company, location, number of regularly scheduled hours worked, length of employment, and employment status._ + Free stand-by travel privileges on Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines & Horizon Air + Comprehensive well-being programs including medical, dental and vision benefits + Generous 401k match program + Annual bonus plans + Generous holiday and paid time off For more information about Alaska/Hawaiian/Horizon Total Rewards please visit our career site and view benefits. **Regulatory Information** **Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Statement** It is the policy of Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment and to ensure equal opportunity in all terms, conditions, and benefits of employment or potential employment. We also prohibit discrimination and harassment against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information and other legally protected categories. We have established an EEO Compliance Program under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 ("Section 503") and the Vietnam Era Veteran's Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 ("VEVRAA"). All applicants and employees are treated without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. In addition, we have established an audit and reporting system to allow for effective measurement of its equal employment opportunity activities. To implement this policy, we will: (1) Recruit, hire, train and promote qualified persons in all job titles, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information and any other legally protected categories; (2) Ensure that employment decisions are based only on valid job requirements; and (3) Ensure that all personnel actions and employment activities such as compensation, benefits, promotions, layoffs, return from layoff, Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air sponsored programs, and tuition assistance will be administered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information and other legally protected categories. Employees and applicants for employment will not be subjected to harassment, intimidation, threats, coercion or discrimination because they have engaged or may engage in (1) filing a complaint, (2) opposing any act or practice made unlawful by, or exercising any other right protected by, any Federal, State or local law requiring equal opportunity, including Section 503 and the equal opportunity provisions of VEVRAA, or (3) assisting or participating in any investigation, compliance evaluation, hearing, or any other activity related to the administration of any Federal, State or local law requiring equal opportunity, including Section 503 and the equal opportunity provisions of VEVRAA. **Government Contractor & Department of Transportation (DOT) Regulations** Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines & Horizon Air are regulated by the Department of Transportation (DOT - regulations, 49 CFR part 40) and all applicants are advised that post-offer and/or pre-employment drug testing will be conducted to determine the presence of marijuana, cocaine, opioids, phencyclidine (PCP) and amphetamines or a metabolite of these drugs prior to any offer or employment or transfer into a safety-sensitive position. Failure to submit to testing or positive indications of drug use will render the applicant ineligible for employment with Alaska Airlines/Hawaiian Airlines/Horizon Air and any employment offer will be withdrawn. **Apply by 7:00 PM Pacific Time on** 6/12/2026 **FLSA Status** Exempt **Employment Type** Full-Time **Regular/Temporary** Regular **Location** Seattle - Corporate HQ **L:** \#LI-B **Job Locations** _USA-WA-SeaTac_ **Requisition ID** _2026-18812_ **Category** _Corporate & Operations_

About the Company

Alaska Airlines

INDUSTRY

Other/Not Classified